Robber in gory clown mask robs store

LA MESA  A man wearing a gory Halloween clown mask used a gun and a Mace-type spray to rob a La Mesa convenience story early Thursday, police said.

The robber hit a 7-Eleven store on Amaya Drive, at Severin Drive, about 4:30 a.m. He pointed the pistol and the spray at the clerk, then ordered him to open the register and lie on the floor, La Mesa police Lt. Matt Nicholass said.

The gunman helped himself to cash, cigarettes and lottery tickets, then left. The clerk was not injured.

He was described as white, 30 to 35 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and of medium build. He wore a Halloween mask of a clown’s bloody face, a dark blue, hooded sweat shirt, blue jeans, black gloves, and black-and-white tennis shoes.

Police searched the area for about 90 minutes, but didn't find the robber.